Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to dispensers of vaporizable materials. More specifically, the invention relates to an improvement in devices for dispensing a fragrance or air freshener, or other material, in the form of a vapor for air freshening, insect control, or other purpose, in an enclosed environment. The improvement disclosed herein relates broadly to an electrical plug-in air freshener device or insect control system, of the type frequently referred to as a fragrance warmer or plug-in diffuser, specifically wherein the device further provides both a plug-through outlet and a small electric lamp.
2. Background Art
The need for effectively combating airborne malodors in homes and enclosed public buildings, by odor masking or destruction, is well established, as is the dispensing of insect control materials for killing or deterring insects. Various kinds of vapor-dispensing devices have been employed for these purposes. The most common of such devices is the aerosol container which propels minute droplets of an air freshener composition into the air. Another common type of dispensing device is a dish containing or supporting a body of gelatinous matter which, when it dries and shrinks, releases a vaporized composition into the atmosphere. Other products, such as deodorant blocks, are also used for dispensing air-treating vapors into the atmosphere by evaporation. Another group of vapor-dispensing devices utilizes a carrier material such as paperboard or a porous plastic or ceramic, impregnated or coated with a vaporizable composition.
A number of recent developments include a liquid or gel air-treating composition in an enclosure, all or part of which is formed of a polymeric film through which the air-treating composition can migrate to be released as a vapor at an outer surface. The use of this type of permeable polymeric membrane controls the dispensing of air-treating vapors, and tends to eliminate great variations in rate of dispensing over the life of the product.
Wicking devices are also well known for dispensing volatile liquids into the atmosphere, such as fragrance, deodorant, disinfectant, or insecticide active agent. A typical wicking device utilizes a combination of a wick and an emanating region to dispense a volatile liquid from a liquid reservoir. Typical wicking devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,994,932; 2,597,195; 2,802,695; 2,804,291; 3,550,853; 4,286,754; 4,413,779; 4,454,987; 4,913,350; and 5,000,383; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Of special interest with respect to the present invention are wicking dispenser devices in which the wicking action is promoted by a heat source. This type of wicking device is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,288,556; 3,431,393; 3,482,929; 3,633,881; 4,020,321; 4,968,487; 5,038,394; 5,290,546; and 5,364,027; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Additional dispensers of the type often referred to as plug-in diffusers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,849,606, and 5,937,140, which are assigned to S. C. Johnson and Son, Inc., of Racine, Wis., both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Of these references, it is noted that U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,140 discloses a fragrance warmer incorporating plug-though capability. The present invention constitutes an improvement upon this reference, adding an integral night light feature and novel electrical circuitry in a unit providing for simpler, less expensive assembly.
In addition to the above, Luthy discloses, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,421, a fragrance dispenser which releases a fragrance from a solid polyamide resin body. The dispenser includes a housing, having at least one opening, disposed adjacent to the resin. A heating resistor is provided in the housing for maintaining an elevated temperature, and a thermally conductive metal heating plate is arranged in the housing in thermally conductive relationship with the heating resistor and configured to at least partially surround and contact the resin body containing the fragrance.
Wang, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,192, discloses a perfumer with an optically controlled night lamp. The perfumer includes a heat conductor wrapped by a heat conductive and fireproof plastic material for generating heat to vaporize a solid perfume, and uniformly disperse the perfume gas. The night lamp is disposed within the perfumer structure and is controlled by an optically sensitive element which turns the lamp on or off in accordance with ambient illumination. The perfumer is powered by a power plug consisting of a pair of identical copper plates having a heat conductor welded there between to form a circuit.
Spector teaches, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,250, a night lamp assembly wherein a low wattage bulb illuminates removable transparent slides placed at the front of the assembly. The rear face of the slide is coated or impregnated with a volatile coating to produce a fragrance as the slide is heated by the lamp.
In addition, the incorporation of night lights into electrical vaporizers is also taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,090, of Diehl, U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,260, of Elsner, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,079, of Costello. These references, however, fail to provide the convenience and economy of the present invention.
As indicated, it is well known to provide electrical heating devices for dispensing such materials as air fresheners, deodorizers, and insect control materials. Such devices often comprise a liquid reservoir of liquid to be dispensed, an electric heater to warm the liquid to cause it to vaporize more readily, and an electrical plug to plug the device into an electric outlet for power. However, it is also known that if such devices are plugged into the lower of two vertically oriented outlets, the consumer may choose to employ the upper outlet for another plug-in apparatus, such as a night light, or an electrical cord for an appliance. Such apparatus may be subject to damage or deterioration from the vapors or fumes of the liquid material which is heated and dispensed, possibly resulting in the exposure of live electrical parts, since it is known that many of the fragrance oils used in the preparation of such dispensers contain solvents which dissolve or react with such plastics as styrene, which is frequently used for night light assemblies due to its low cost and formability. Moreover, the use of such prior art dispensers results in the loss or sacrifice of an electrical outlet, frequently in an area where extra outlets are at a premium, such as on a kitchen or bathroom counter. This is particularly a problem when such dispensers are of such a dimension as to completely cover a vertically oriented wall receptacle, thus utilizing one of the two outlets therein, and covering the second.
The present invention overcomes these deficiencies of the prior art, by incorporating both a night light and a plug through outlet directly into the structure of the plug-in diffuser or fragrance warmer, said diffuser being of a size that when it is plugged into the upper outlet of a vertically oriented wall receptacle, it does not preclude use of the lower outlet. Thus, the consumer need not lose the use of an electrical outlet to plug in the present diffuser, since this unit provides for a plug through connection to the wall outlet. Further, the consumer simultaneously gains a night light, since the present invention incorporates a low cost lamp directly into the dispensable assembly of the unit. Thus, the consumer obtains both an air freshener or diffuser and a night light, at a relatively low cost, while not losing the use of an electrical outlet, since the invention provides a plug through feature, permitting use of both outlets of a dual outlet receptacle for plugging in appliances, table lamps, etc.
In one aspect, the invention provides a combination night light and electrical vaporizer, with the added advantage of a plug through feature by which an additional plug may be inserted. The night light feature of the invention comprises a built-in low wattage bulb, with optional circuitry to be automatically turned off or on in response to ambient illumination. The electrical vaporizer comprises a plug-in diffuser in conjunction with a substance to be thermally diffused, said substance being retained in a container subject to being heated by an electrical resistance heater. A further feature of the invention is the presence of connector sockets into which an external plug may be inserted, with connector prongs present for insertion into a wall outlet or socket. This connector thus provides an electrical bridge by which an external device may be electrically connected to the wall outlet circuitry. Such connectors may comprise first and second electrical assemblies, including a male terminal and a female terminal electrically connected to the male terminal, with a heater element situated between dual heat transfer plates positioned so as to provide heat to the container of the substance to be thermally diffused.
In one form, the invention comprises a low cost, disposable, refillable air freshener device, having a suggested life span predetermined by the life span of a non-replaceable night light bulb. In this manner, the consumer may replace the air freshener container, such as when the contents thereof have been fully utilized, to change the function of the device, or for aesthetic reasons, such as a desire for a specific fragrance. In this embodiment, the consumer may replace an air freshener element or container with an insecticide element or container, if desired, or with any active suitable for diffusion or evaporation from a container subject to heating to evaporate or diffuse such active material. Active materials which are suitable for inclusion in the container placed in the receiving chamber of the plug-in diffuser of the present invention include volatile active materials selected from the group consisting of fragrances, air fresheners, deodorizers, odor eliminators, odor counteractants, insecticides, insect repellants, herbal substances, medicinal substances, disinfectants, sanitizers, mood enhancers, aroma therapy compositions, and mixtures thereof. Moreover, it is possible for the consumer to continue use of the diffusion device, absent the night light feature after the night light bulb has expended its full life span, without loss of the plug-through feature of the dispenser, if he so chooses.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a thermal diffuser of an active material is provided, comprising a housing of a suitable material, such as polypropylene, an electric resistance heater, such as a metal oxide resistor, a night light, and plug-through electrical circuitry.
Thus, the present invention comprises a plug-in diffuser, for use with a substance to be thermally diffused, said diffuser comprising an outer housing, a male electrical plug extending outwardly from the rear of said housing, a female electrical receptacle on the front of said housing having direct electrical contact with said male electrical plug providing plug-through capability, an opening in said outer housing for receipt of an active material container, said opening being located between the front cover of said housing and an inner wall within said housing, an electrical resistance heater electrically connected between the terminals of said male electrical plug by means of parallel electrically conductive metal heat transfer plates extending from said male electrical plug terminals to a night light circuitry board electrically connected between said parallel metal plates within said housing, said metal heat transfer plates being in heat transfer contact with said inner wall of said housing, and an electric night light electrically connected to said night light circuitry board, and having a night light lens over said night light and affixed to said housing.
The present invention further comprises a plug-in diffuser wherein said housing is a moldable plastic, said active material container comprises a tray receptacle having a vapor permeable plastic cover, said active material is selected from the group consisting of fragrances, air fresheners, deodorizers, odor eliminators, odor counteractants, insecticides, insect repellants, herbal substances, medicinal substances, disinfectants, sanitizers, mood enhancers, aroma therapy compositions, and mixtures thereof, said night light circuitry contains an on/off switch, or optionally an automatic on/off circuit with a sensor control, and the night light bulb is not replaceable.
Still further, the present invention comprises an electrically heated dispenser of active materials, said dispenser having a night light and plug-through electrical circuitry, wherein the container of said active materials comprises a plastic tray having a vapor permeable cover over an active material selected from the group consisting of fragrances, air fresheners, deodorizers, odor eliminators, odor counteractants, insecticides, insect repellants, herbal substances, medicinal substances, disinfectants, sanitizers, mood enhancers, aroma therapy compositions, and mixtures thereof, said heater comprises a metal oxide resistor, and the circuitry for said night light comprises an automatic control for said night light.
These and still other embodiments and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description which follows. The following description is merely of the preferred embodiments. Thus, the claims should be looked to in order to understand the full scope of the invention.